Jeffrey Ryan Thalhammer

Professional Experience

Co-Founder

Stratopan

October 2013 - Present

Stratopan is a SaaS platform for managing software components. We host all your components in a secure, custom repository in the cloud so you can build your app anywhere with the right components every time. Stratopan is currently in beta with over 700 users. As a co-founder, I spend my days (and nights) slinging code, configuring servers, answering support calls, writing marketing copy, pitching to companies, and refilling the coffee machine.

Chief Consultant

Imaginative Software

June 2008 - Present

I went into consulting because I wanted to see how the rest of the world works. I have had the honor of working with some really excellent organizations, such as Apple and Genentech. I helped them build custom applications ranging from publishing tools, to billing systems, to molecular simulators. In return, they showed me how great teams operate.

Systems Engineer, Principal

Barclays Global Investors

September 2001 - March 2008

BGI is where I really cut my teeth as a software engineer. I wrestled with some of the ugliest, most broken, yet most profitable software you've ever seen -- over 500k lines of code running more that $50 billion in assets. Over time, we all learned what "quality" really means and how to achieve it. It was a difficult journey at times, but it taught me how to balance business goals with engineering principles.

Software Engineer

Wink Communications

January 2000 - September 2001

Wink was my gateway into the dot-com boom. When I started, I knew just enough about programming to be useful. And then I began learning new technologies while building interactive television applications. It was all very cutting-edge stuff then, and it was exciting to see your own application pop up on the TV screen in a hotel lobby or bar.

Research Associate

Federal Reserve Bank

June 1998 - January 2000

I wanted to be an economist for a while. Although I still enjoy the science, I just wasn't cut out for the profession. Fortunately, it gave me an opportunity to play with several economic forecasting models, and that introduced me to programming.

Open Source

Pinto

Much of modern software development involves assembling applications from various open source components. Pinto is a component management tool for Perl that ensures your applications are consistently built with the correct libraries and frameworks. At the same time, Pinto has powerful features that help you safely upgrade and test components. Pinto is the heart of Stratopan and is used by numerous organizations with large and complex Perl code bases.

Perl-Critic

While working at BGI, we wanted to improve our code quality without sinking a lot of time into training or code reviews. This inspired me to create Perl-Critic, the leading static analyzer for Perl. Perl-Critic automatically detects bugs, finds security holes, and enforces best-practices on millions of lines of Perl code. Perl-Critic is now used by thousands of organizations every day to help them write better code. I'm very proud that Perl::Critic is also part of the CERT Secure Coding Guidlines.

Community

Co-Organizer

SF Perl Mongers

October 2013 - Present

Software development is 20% technical engineering, and 80% social engineering. As co-organizer of the San Francisco Perl Mongers, I have the privilege to help engage, inform, and inspire developers. Together with my fellow co-organizers, we produce frequent hackathons, guest lectures, and social events that cover a wide range of technical subjects. We also maintain mailing lists, websites, and social media channels to help developers connect with one another

Course Instructor

AcademyX

May 2007 - Present

From time to time, I teach classes on programming with Perl. As they say, the best way to really master a subject is to teach it, and sometimes I feel that I learn more from the class than my students. I teach at all levels, but the introductory classes are the most challenging and the most rewarding for me.

Publicity

I've been fortunate to meet so many amazing people in my career. And some of them were kind enough to give me an opportunity to tell my story. I also give frequent presentations at YAPC, OSCON, and local technology meetups.